11 mark
Which diagram shows an alloy?
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Properties, Uses & Alloys of Metals (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Chemistry): Exam Questions
Exam code: 0620 & 0971
8 hours104 questions
21 mark
Copper is sometimes used to make cooking utensils and pans.
Three properties of copper are shown below:
1 | Good conductor of electricity. |
2 | Corrosion resistant. |
3 | Good conductor of heat. |
Which of these properties make it good for making cooking utensils?
1 and 3
1 only
2 and 3
2 only
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31 mark
Most of the elements on the Periodic Table are metals. Metals can be distinguished from non-metals by differences in their physical properties.
Which row correctly describes a metal?
| Malleability | Heat & electrical conductivity |
A | ||
B | ||
C | ||
D |
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
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41 mark
Zinc has many uses in the home. The diagram shows two items that contain zinc.
In which of these items is zinc used as an alloy?
| bucket | door-knocker |
A | ||
B | ||
C | ||
D |
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
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51 mark
Extended Only
Why are alloys harder than the pure metals from which they are made?
There are stronger bonds between the atoms
The atoms are all the same size
The layers of atoms are distorted
The properties of each element have combined
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61 mark
Which statement explains why aluminium is used in the manufacture of aircraft?
It conducts heat well.
It has a low density.
It is a good insulator.
It is easy to recycle.
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71 mark
Which row identifies an alloy, a pure metal and a non-metal?
alloy | pure metal | non-metal | |
A | brass | carbon | copper |
B | brass | copper | carbon |
C | copper | brass | carbon |
D | copper | carbon | brass |
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81 mark
Overhead power cables made from (steel-cored) aluminium are used to carry electricity over long distances.
Which property of (steel-cored) aluminium makes it suitable for use in power cables?
Aluminium has a low density.
Aluminium has low strength.
Steel is a good conductor of heat.
Steel is resistant to corrosion.
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91 mark
Which uses of the metals shown are correct?
aluminium | stainless steel | |
A | aircraft bodies | car bodies |
B | car bodies | aircraft bodies |
C | chemical plant | food containers |
D | food containers | cutlery |
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101 mark
Which diagram represents the arrangement of atoms in an alloy?
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111 mark
Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon.
Which diagram represents steel correctly?
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121 mark
Three statements about metals are listed.
Aluminium is used for aircraft because of its high resistance and high density.
Metals react with acids to form salt and water.
Copper is used in electrical wires because of its malleable and a good electricity conductor
Which statements are correct?
1, 2 and 3
1 and 3 only
3 only
1 and 2 only
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131 mark
Four statements about a metal are shown.
Which statement describes a chemical property of the metal?
It can be drawn out into a wire.
It conducts heat well.
It has a shiny surface when freshly cut.
It reacts with dilute acid to produce hydrogen.
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141 mark
Zinc is heated strongly in air.
A white solid is left when the product cools.
What is the white solid?
zinc oxide
zinc hydroxide
zinc carbonate
zinc nitrate
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151 mark
Tin is added to excess dilute hydrochloric acid and a reaction takes place.
Which two products are formed?
tin(II) chloride and hydrogen
tin(II) chloride and water
tin(II) oxide and hydrogen
tin(II) chloride and chlorine
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161 mark
Aluminium is used to make overhead electrical cables.
Which pair of properties makes aluminium suitable for this use?
low density and brittleness
high density and good electrical conductivity
low density and good electrical conductivity
good electrical conductivity and poor ductility
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171 mark
Which row correctly matches a use of a metal to the property that makes the metal suitable for that use?
use | property | |
|---|---|---|
A | electrical wiring | low density |
B | food containers | good electrical conductivity |
C | overhead electrical cables | brittleness |
D | manufacture of aircraft | low density |
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181 mark
Copper is used for electrical wiring.
Which pair of properties makes copper suitable for this use?
good electrical conductivity and low density
good electrical conductivity and ductility
resistance to corrosion and low density
poor electrical conductivity and malleability
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191 mark
Which substance is used to make food containers because it is resistant to corrosion?
carbon
iron
aluminium
zinc
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201 mark
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
Which statement about the composition of brass is correct?
The composition of brass is fixed.
The composition of brass can vary.
Brass contains equal masses of copper and zinc.
All brass contains more zinc than copper.
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211 mark
Which statement is correct?
Brass is an element.
Iron is an alloy.
Stainless steel is a mixture.
Zinc is a compound.
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11 mark
A sample of element Y is shiny and can be shaped by hammering.
Which row of the table corresponds to the properties of element Y?
| conducts electricity | melts below 25℃ |
A | ||
B | ||
C | ||
D |
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
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21 mark
Some of the properties of four different elements Q, P, R and S are listed below:
1 | Q melts at 1410 °C and forms an acidic oxide. |
2 | P has a high density and is easily drawn into wires. |
3 | R acts as a catalyst and its oxide reacts with acids |
4 | S is a red-brown solid used to make alloys. |
Which of the elements are metals?
1 and 3 only
2 and 4 only
2, 3 and 4
1,2 and 3
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31 mark
The table shows some properties of four metals
Which of the four metals would be the most suitable for aircraft construction?
| density | strength | resistance to corrosion |
A | high | low | low |
B | low | high | high |
C | high | high | low |
D | low | low | high |
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
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41 mark
Brass is an alloy of two metals.
Which row describes the correct use of the two metals that brass is made from?
| metal 1 | metal 2 |
A | galvanising steel | making aircraft |
B | electrical wiring | galvanising steel |
C | making aircraft | making cutlery |
D | making cooking pans | electrical wiring |
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
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51 mark
The structure of an alloy is shown below. Alloys are mixtures of metals with other metals or non-metals.
They are usually much stronger and harder than pure metals. Which statement explains these features?
The irregular sizes of the atoms distorts the regular arrangement in the metal structure, meaning more force is required to bend the metal
The irregular sizes of the atoms distorts the regular arrangement in the metal structure as the bonding is disrupted when the atoms are added
The regular sizes of the atoms distorts the irregular arrangement in the metal structure, meaning more force is required to bend the metal
A mixture of metals is tougher than a pure metal because a mixture has more intermolecular forces than a pure metal.
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61 mark
What is a property of all metals?
conducts electricity
hard
low melting point
reacts with water
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71 mark
Which diagram represents a solid alloy?
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81 mark
What is a property of all metals?
conducts electricity
hard
low melting point
reacts with water
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91 mark
Which statements about the general properties of metals are correct?
They are good conductors of heat and electricity.
They have low melting points.
They react with dilute acids to form a salt and water.
They react with oxygen to form basic oxides.
1 and 2
1 and 4
2 and 3
3 and 4
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101 mark
A student makes the following statement.
Every metal has a melting point above 500 °C.
The table shows the melting points of four metals.
metal | melting point / °C |
|---|---|
copper | 1085 |
iron | 1538 |
magnesium | 650 |
potassium | 63 |
Which metal shows that the student's statement is wrong?
copper
iron
magnesium
potassium
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111 mark
Some properties of element E are listed.
It has a high density.
It has a high melting point.
What is E?
aluminium
bromine
iron
lithium
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121 mark
Three statements about metals and their uses are shown below.
1 | Aluminium is used for overhead electrical cables because of its low density. |
2 | Copper is used for electrical wiring because of its ductility. |
3 | Aluminium is used for food containers because it is a good conductor of electricity. |
Which statements are correct?
1 and 2 only
1 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
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131 mark
Iron is a transition element and magnesium is a Group II element. Both are metals.
Which row shows the correct properties for both metals?
melting point | gas produced when reacted with dilute hydrochloric acid | electrical conductivity | |
A | iron > magnesium | hydrogen | good |
B | iron > magnesium | chlorine | good |
C | iron = magnesium | hydrogen | poor |
D | iron = magnesium | chlorine | poor |
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141 mark
The wiring inside a house is made from copper rather than from aluminium.
Which property of copper best explains this choice?
It has a lower density than aluminium.
It is brittle.
It conducts electricity better than aluminium.
It conducts heat less well than aluminium.
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151 mark
Which statement explains why alloys are harder and stronger than pure metals?
Alloys contain strong covalent bonds between the different atoms.
The metallic bonds in an alloy are stronger because there are more delocalised electrons.
The atoms in an alloy are packed more closely together than in a pure metal.
The different sized atoms in an alloy mean the layers can no longer slide over each other.
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161 mark
Aluminium is used in the manufacture of aircraft and in the manufacture of overhead electrical cables.
Which property of aluminium is needed for both of these uses?
good electrical conductivity
a high melting point
good thermal conductivity
low density
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171 mark
The table shows the density and the electrical conductivity of four metals.
metal | density in g/cm3 | electrical conductivity |
|---|---|---|
W | 8.9 | good |
X | 2.7 | good |
Y | 2.7 | poor |
Z | 11.3 | poor |
Which metal is the most suitable for making overhead electrical cables?
W
X
Y
Z
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181 mark
Three statements about metals and their uses are shown below.
1 | Copper is used for electrical wiring because it is ductile. |
2 | Aluminium is used for overhead electrical cables because it has a high density. |
3 | Aluminium is used for food containers because it is resistant to corrosion. |
Which statements are correct?
1 and 2 only
1 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
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191 mark
Which row correctly matches an alloy to the property that makes it suitable for its use?
alloy | property | use | |
|---|---|---|---|
A | stainless steel | resistance to rusting | cutlery |
B | stainless steel | low density | aircraft bodies |
C | brass | poor electrical conductivity | electrical plug pins |
D | mild steel | resistance to rusting | car bodies |
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11 mark
The table shows four suggested reactions of a metal with cold water or with steam.
Which row gives the correct products?
metal and reagent | products | |
|---|---|---|
A | calcium and cold water | calcium oxide and hydrogen |
B | iron and steam | iron oxide and hydrogen |
C | iron and steam | iron hydroxide and hydrogen |
D | calcium and cold water | calcium oxide and water |
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21 mark
Copper is a better conductor of electricity than aluminium.
Overhead electrical cables are made from aluminium.
Which statement explains this choice?
Aluminium has a lower density than copper, so the cables are lighter.
Aluminium conducts electricity better than copper.
Aluminium is a stronger metal than copper.
Aluminium has a higher melting point than copper.
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31 mark
The table shows the density and the electrical conductivity of four metals.
metal | density in g/cm3 | electrical conductivity |
|---|---|---|
P | 8.9 | good |
Q | 2.7 | good |
R | 11.3 | poor |
S | 2.7 | poor |
Which metal is suitable for the manufacture of aircraft but not for overhead electrical cables?
P
Q
R
S
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41 mark
Aluminium has all four of the properties listed below.
Which one of these properties is the main reason why aluminium is used to make food containers?
It has a low density.
It conducts heat well.
It resists corrosion.
It conducts electricity well.
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51 mark
Solder is an alloy of tin and lead. It melts at a lower temperature than either pure tin or pure lead.
Solder is used to join electrical components to a circuit board.
Which statement explains why a low melting point is an advantage for this use?
The solder can be melted without damaging the components.
The solder conducts electricity better because it has a low melting point.
The solder will not melt again once the joint has been made.
The low melting point makes the joint stronger.
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61 mark
The table shows the hardness of three samples of metal.
sample | composition | hardness |
|---|---|---|
1 | 100% copper | low |
2 | 70% copper, 30% zinc | high |
3 | 99% copper, 1% zinc | low |
Which conclusion is supported by the data?
Adding any amount of zinc to copper makes it much harder.
A greater proportion of zinc gives a greater increase in hardness.
Zinc is harder than copper.
Copper and zinc react together to form a harder compound.
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71 mark
A pure metal is mixed with a second metal to form an alloy.
Which statements about the alloy are correct?
1 The layers of atoms are harder to slide over each other than in the pure metal.
2 The alloy conducts electricity less well than a non-metal.
3 The two metals are mixed rather than chemically combined.
1, 2 and 3
1 and 2 only
1 and 3 only
2 only
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81 mark
Extended Only
An alloy is made by mixing metal X with a small amount of metal Y.
The atoms of Y are only slightly different in size from the atoms of X.
Which statement about this alloy is correct?
It is much harder than pure X.
It is only slightly harder than pure X.
It is softer than pure X.
It has the same hardness as pure X.
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91 mark
Properties of four elements are shown below.
Which of these elements is a metal?
| electrical conductivity when solid | electrical conductivity when liquid | melting point ℃ |
A | low | low | -7 |
B | high | low | 801 |
C | high | high | 1535 |
D | low | low | 3550 |
Option A
Option B
Option C
Option D
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101 mark
Brass is an alloy of two metals
Which is the correct statement?
The alloy will completely dissolve in dilute hydrochloric acid.
Brass is formed by a chemical reaction between two metals
Brass can be represented by a chemical formula
One of the metals in the alloy will dissolve in dilute hydrochloric acid
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111 mark
Element Y is malleable and ductile.
Which correctly describes the properties of element Y?
| Electrical conductivity (solid) | Electrical conductivity (molten) | Melting Point / oC |
1 | ✓ | ✓ | 2861 |
2 | ✓ | ✓ | 63 |
3 | ✗ | ✓ | 801 |
1 and 2 only
1 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
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121 mark
The three statements below about aluminium are all correct.
Aluminium reacts readily to form aluminium oxide.
Aluminium is extracted from its ore by electrolysis as it cannot be extracted by reduction with carbon.
Aluminium is used in electrical wiring because of its good electrical conductivity.
In which of these statements can 'aluminium' be replaced by 'copper' and still be correct?
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
A | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
B | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
C | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
D | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
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131 mark
Some properties of elements K, L, M and N are given.
1 | K acts as a catalyst and its oxide reacts with hydrochloric acid |
2 | L is a dull dark grey solid that conducts electricity and has a melting point of 3600 oC |
3 | M is easily hammered into shape and has a high density |
4 | N has a melting point of 113 oC and forms an acidic oxide |
Which of the elements are metals?
1 and 3 only
2, 3 and 4
2 and 3 only
2 and 4 only
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